Tooth Coronal Index and Pulp/Tooth Ratio in Dental Age Estimation on Digital Panoramic Radiographs − A Comparative Study

• Published in: Forensic science international 2017-08, Vol.277, p.115-121
• Main Authors: Jain, Supreet, Nagi, Ravleen, Daga, Minal, Shandilya, Ashutosh, Shukla, Aastha, Parakh, Abhinav, Laheji, Afshan, singh, Rahul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Age; Age determination; Age Determination by Teeth - methods; Age estimation; Aged; Chronology; Clinical trials; Comparative studies; Computer programs; Data acquisition; Dental materials; Dental pulp; Dental Pulp Cavity - diagnostic imaging; Dental Pulp Cavity - growth & development; Female; Forensic odontology; Forensic sciences; Humans; Image compression; JPEG encoders-decoders; Male; Mandible; Materials selection; Mathematical analysis; Medical research; Methods; Middle Aged; Molar; Molars; Morphology; Panoramic radiograph; Pathology; Premolars; Pulp cavity height; Pulp/Tooth ratio; Radiographs; Radiography; Radiography, Dental, Digital; Radiography, Panoramic; Reliability analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Software; Statistical analysis; Teeth; Tooth coronal index; Tooth Crown - diagnostic imaging; Tooth Crown - growth & development; Variance analysis; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.05.006

Highlights • The present study was undertaken with an aim to evaluate reliability of dental age assessment through two different methods for adults i.e tooth coronal index and pulp/tooth ratio using digital panoramic radiographs and also to compare the methods for their accuracy in age determination. • Digital panoramic radiographs of 180 subjects were analyzed of which 82 were males and 98 were females. • TCImandibular first molar r = −0.178, second premolar (r = −0.187) and PCTHR(mandibular first molar r = −0.921, second molar r = −0.901) correlated negatively with chronological age. • PCTHR showed slightly higher negative correlation and proved as a better tool for age estimation than TCI. • Mandibular first molar was found to be most reliable tooth to estimate dental age. • Statistically significant differences were observed between chronological and calculated age by both methods thus emphasizing the need for future clinical trials on different population, in different geographical locations, on larger sample size, on other teeth and should also take into account various environmental, racial, dietary,genetic and cultural factors.